Grate



Oct. 25, 1932. J. s. THOMPSON GRATE Filed Aug. 19, 1930 o o o G o o INVER ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 25, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE J'AKES S. THOMPSON, OF NEW ROCHELLE NEW YORK ASSlIGNOR TO FIBEBAR CORPO- RATION, OI CLEVELAND,

OHIO, A CORPORATION OF Application filed August 19, 1930. Serial 110. 476,261.

This invention relates to grate bars of the type employed for heavy duty purposes, such as in locomotives, boiler furnaces and the like. More particularly the invention is concerned 5 with a grate bar which is suitable for use in a stationary grate frame or in a traveling grate and which includes a longitudinal member or carrier and a plurality of fuel-support ing units, the latter preferably being removable from the carrier but locked thereto against accidental dislodgment.

In the co-pending application of Buckley, Serial No. 338,352, filed Feb. 8, 1929, there is disclosed a grate bar of the general construction above referred to and in the Buckley bar, there is a carrier on which a plurality of fuel-supporting units or cross-bars are loosely mounted, the units and carrier having a limited freedom of relative angular movement such that when the carrier is rocked in the operationof shaking or dumping the grate, the units move relatively thereto to a limited degree.

locking projections which may e gage a portion of the carrier when this relative angular movement occurs, so that one or the other of ably of the Buckley type in which the units are strengthened and reinforced in such manner that cracking is largely obviated and if a unit cracks, the parts thereof are bound together by reinforcing means 'so that the parts do not fall from the carrier bar. The reinforcement employed serves ,the additional purpose of constituting the wear surfaces of theunit, thereby lengthening its life, and is incorporated in the unit during the formation thereof, so that the addition of the reinforcement does not add materially to the cost of manufacture.

Each unit is pr vided with may freely For a better understanding of the invent10n, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing, in which 4 Fig. 1 is a sectional view through the gear I grate bar showing one of the units in side elevation;

Figs. 2 and 3 are sectional views on the lines 2-2, 33 of Fig. 1; v

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of the complete bar in side elevation; and

Fig. 5 is a topplan view of one of the units.

Referring now to the drawing, the grate bar in one form includes a carrier which may comprise a horizontal web 10 "atthe ends of which are upstanding arms 11 provided with supporting means which may take the form of trunnions' from the bottom of the web is a strengthening rib 13 and a shaker arm 14 extends down wardly from the unit at a suitable point. On

12. Projecting downwardly the top of the unit is formed a centering flange 15.

A lurality of. fuel-supporting units or cross-bars are mounted on the carrier and ex tend beyond the'lateral edges-thereof. Each unit comprises a plate 16 of generally triangular shape which may conveniently be formed of cast iron: Projecting fromone or both faces of the plate 16 are spaced lugs 172' which extend downwardly from, the top thereof, these lugs defining vertical passages 18 for the flow of air from the ash pan upwardly to the fuel bed. The two central lugs are combined as indicated at 19 to strengthen the unit at its mid-point.

In the lower edge of the plate is formed a recess 20, the general shape of which corresponds to the cross-sectional shape of the carrier, and each unit rests on the cross-bar preferably on the upper surfaces. 21 of the the flange 15, the re I the flange 15 extend without touching the walls thereof. -At either side web on either side of cess having a part into which of the opening into the recess are projections 22, the distance 'between the faces of which is preferably slightly less than the greatest horizontal dimension of the carrier. With these proportions,

it will be evident that the units cannot be lifted free of the carrier and the units are placed on the carrier by being slipped over the arms 11 which are made narrower than the distance between the opposed faces of the projections 22. Also, the edges of the web 10 are cut away adjacent the arms 11 to an extent such that when the units are moved toward the arms at an angle thereto, the projections 22 pass by the sides of the arms and when the units are then straightened up, the projections slip beneath the lateral edges of the web 10. This construction is set forth and described in detail in my co-pending application, Serial No. 462,515, filed June 20, 1930.

By reason of the difference in shape of the recess in each unit and the cross-sectional shape of the carrier, the units have a limited freedom of angular movement relative to the carrier when the latter is rocked and when this rocking action occurs, one or the other of the projections 22 moves into'close engagement with the under side of one edge of the web 10 to limit the relative angular movement. In the Buckley construction, the distance between the projections 22 is slightly greater than the greatest width of the carrier so that the units can be removed by being lifted free but when the angular movement occurs, one or the other of the projections passes beneath the edge of the carrier and the units are positively locked against displacement. The units of the present invention may be constructed in either of these ways; that is, in such form that they can be lifted free but are locked to the carrier on the occurrence of the relative angular movement, or positively locked to the carrier at all times with the degree of angular movement limited by engagement of a projection with the carrier.

In a grate bar of this type in which the units are ordinary castings, it sometimes happens that a unit may crack in service, the fracture usually occurring in the vicinity of the narrowest part of the unit which, lies above the flange 15. When this occurs, the two parts of the unit fall free of the carrier into the ash pan and when the locomotive or'furnace is put out of service, another unit must be installed in position.

The difficulties due to cracking or breaking of the units are overcome in the present construction by providing each unitwith a reinforcing or strengthening element. 23 of sheet stock which coversthe upper face of the unit. This reinforcing element is preferably formed, with a plurality of openings therethrough, indicated at 24, and in the casting of the unit, the molten metal passes through the openings in the element and forms locking projections 25 which bind the element in place. The element may be made of various materials but is preferably of sheet steel and the element may form the fuel-supgrate bar. Also the lower element takes upshocks to which the unit is subjected in shaking or dumping operationsin which the unit moves away from the carrier on one rocking movement and is forced back into contact with the carrier with considerable momentum in the rocking in the opposite direction.

The incorporation in the unit of the re inforcing elements in the manner described can be accomplished without difliculty in the casting of the unit and does not add mates rially to the cost thereof. lVith the top element 23 in position, it will be observed that should the main body of the casting crack during service, the tendency of the two halves to fall from the carrier bar on either side thereof will be resisted by the element which will be placed under tension by the weight of the fuel tending to separate the two parts of the unit. The lower reinforc-' ing element 26 will similarly resist any separation of the two parts of the unit in the event that the latter. is fractured across and the elements will, therefore, maintain the unit in its ordinary condition for an indefinite period. The loss of a unit from the carrier during service with a resultant hole in the grate is thus prevented'and the unit may be retained in service until the grate is dum ed,

whereupon repairs can be made if they ap-' pear necessary.

While the grate bar has been described as including a longitudinal member or-carrier and fuel-supporting units or cross-bars which are detachable therefrom, it" will be evident that the reinforcing elements may be advantageously used in a similar type of bar in which the carrier and cross-bars are formed integrally.

What I claim: 1. In a grate bar, a longitudinal, member I and cross-bars supported thereby on their bottom surfaces and projecting beyond op-- posite lateral edges thereof, each cross-bar having a reinforcing member forming at least a portion ofthe bottom surfaces thereof.

2. In a grate bar, a longitudinal member and a plurality of cross-bars mounted loosely on the member, each cross-bar having a recess in it through which said member extends and a reinforcing member adjacent theboundary of said recess. I 1

3. In a grate bar, a longitudinal member and a plurality of cross-bars mounted loose! ly on the member, each cross-bar having a. recess in it through which said member extends and a reinforcing member defining at least a part of said recess. 7

4. In a grate bar, a longitudinal member and a plurality of cross-bars mounted loosely on the member, each cross-bar having a recess 1n it through which said member extends and a reinforcing member defining at least a part of the lower edgeof said cross- 7 bar including said recess.

5. In a grate bar, a longitudinal member and a plurality of cross-bars mounted loosely on the member, each cross-bar having a combined reinforcing and wear-resistlng member incorporated in it and constituting the surface of the cross-bar in contact with the member. 6. In a grate bar, a fuel-supporting unit which comprises a body of cast metal having an opening for the reception of a longitudinal member on which the unit rests, and

reinforcing and wear-resisting elements secured to the unit, one element serving as the fuel-supporting surface, and the other serv ing as a surface for the wall of said opening.

7. A grate bar which comprises a longitudinal supporting member and a plurality of cross-bars mounted thereon, each crossbar comprising a body of cast metal having 7 an opening in its lower edge in which said cross-bar receives said member, and a pair of reinforcing and wear-resisting elements of sheet metal, oneelement constituting a facing'for the fuel-supporting top of the cross-bar, the other as a facing for the wall of said opening.

Intestimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JAMES S. THOMPSON. 

